The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-04
Both Sides Thoroughly in Earnest, and the
Strongest Men of the Opposing Parties
Engaged in the Momentous Contest.
Home-Rulers Preparing to Transfer the
Agitation to the English Cities.
Petards and Internal Machines Found in
Spanish Government Offices - Forty-One
People Killed by Falling Church Roof.
THE GREAT DEBATE.
A Contest in Which Engiand's Foremos
Statesmen Are Earnestly Striving.

s'balesAIcu &ATc x1arnestiy StTAtiuSs
Special to the Indianapolis journal
Boston, April "A. L. Perry cables from
London to the Herald: ''The contest in the
House Of Commons over the Irish crimes bill
becomes more earnest and exciting as it pro-
ceeds. 1t is battle of giants. and of giants
who have their temper up. Both the supporters
and the opponents of the bill have put their
strongest men in 'front.' and the debate, taken al
together, has attained unusually high level,
both in ability and in interest. Some of the
speeches deserve to pass into history notable
examples of political oratory. Both sides being
determined to fight to the last, the end is still
some distance in the future. But as I have in
formed you all along, nothing save loss Of heart
on the part of the government affect their
chance of winning. They are backed by a sub
stantial majority, and if they have the courage
to it for all it is worth. the utmost the Home
rulers can accomplish is to postpone the ine7ita-
BILE for a few week
Mr.. Labouchere said, to-day, that the oppo-
nents of the crimes bill propose to fight it until
the closure has been forced at every stage. and
on every clause, and each amendment. There
many stages. For instance, instructions to
the committee may be put down on the second
reading. while, upon the different clauses long
series of amendments may be offered, each inde-
pendent of the others, and raising a separate
question of principle. Mr.. Labouchere regards
this contemplated action against the bill as a
species of sub-revolution. But he holds that
the measure is obnoxious to Liberal prinei-
pies that the extremist obstruction is fully
justified. He thinks that, if the bill comes to
its third reading the English Scotch and Welsh
Liberals, as we'll as the Irish Nationalists,
ought to force the Speaker to suspend them
final protest against the iniquitous measure.
He also declares that the land bill is one Of
the grossest swindles attempted by the
classes upon the masses. He rates it as an act
to make eviction easy to landlords who are not
prepared to let their land on fair terms. 1t
gives them exemption from rates, and
enables them to convert all tenants
for whom judicial rents have not been
ondly, into bankrupts. The plan of
coercion, he says, and the land bill hang to-
gether, the object of both being to maintain
judicial rent at the old figures in order that
under the purchase act the landlords may
secure for their farms price much higher than
they would be able to DO if rents were made
once more fair. in accordance with the circum-
stances of the times. The tenants are to be
coerced, bullied and bankrupted into asserting
to buy their farms, not at the market value
but at the prices when the landlords are
pleased to put upon them. Mr.. Laboucheres
views represent the positive pole of English
radicalism on the home-rule question. Although
he has greater political influence than he pos
sessed two years ago, the member for North
ampton is still far from being leader whose
guidance is implicitly followed. He is taken
more seriously than he used to be, but his old
reputation for saying more than he really means
clings to him, and his authority with his
| party is affected by it. On one point,
| however, his counsel has been taken. The war
| against the government is to be carried from the
| floor Of the House to the public platform. The
| British Home-rulers are making arrangements
| to push the agitation into every corner of Eng
| land, Scotland and Wales, and they are to have
| the assistance of the Irish Nationalsts in the
campaign. Indeed, it is said. in the event of the
coercion bin becoming law, the headquarters of
| the National League will be removed to London
| and the organization will be worked from the
metropolis by committee of Irish members.
The leaders of the Irish party will keep out of
Ireland and devote themselves principally to
furthering the agitation in Great Britain. The
| Liberal League has already fifty two lodges, all
of which are about to hold meetings to consider
the crimes bill, and preparations for these meet
ings are rapidly progressing all over the country.
grand demonstration will be held in Hyde
Park on Easter Monday, to be simultaneously
addressed from twelve platforms"